Tag Archives: rio grande valley

Rio Grande Valley native Jesse Garcia sent over a link to this story from ValleyCentral.com, which reports that the Stonewall Democrats’ Rio Grande Valley chapter hosted the region’s first-ever prom for LGBT youth in McAllen on Saturday:

Stonewall Democrats Local President Eli Olivares told Action 4 News that young people from across the Valley participated in the event.

“We wanted to create a safe environment for them to enjoy their teenage life,” Olivares said about the event.

Publicity for the event was kept low and mainly in LGBT circles for security reasons and to prevent protests.

But Olivares said it went so well that organizers want to expand the event and continue it each year.

“There’s no need to be underground anymore,” Olivares said.

On the downside, there’s a poll at the end of the story which asks, “Do you think it’s necessary to have a separate prom for gay, lesbian and transgender youth here in the Rio Grande Valley?” Thus far, 58 percent have said no. We’re sure a few respondents answered “no” because they don’t think an LGBT prom should be necessary, in a perfect world. But the polls results also probably show why the prom is in fact very necessary: Because most people are uncomfortable with the idea.

Whereas, the Texas Democratic Party Platform supports action against all forms of discrimination and specifically calls for the repeal of discriminatory laws and policies against members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community; and

Whereas, the honor of serving as County Chair in the Democratic Party in the State of Texas is accompanied by the solemn responsibility to uphold the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution without equivocation; and

Whereas, the Bexar County Democratic Chair Dan Ramos has gone on record describing the gay-rights movement as “very sinister”, the Stonewall Democrats as “termites” that “managed to get their people in key positions” in the Bexar County Democratic Party, and other reprehensible characterizations; and

Whereas, the unanimously elected Texas Democratic Party Chair Boyd Richie and many Dallas County Democratic Party officials have publicly called upon Bexar County Democratic Chair Dan Ramos to apologize or resign to no effect; and

Whereas, it is incumbent upon us as both Democrats and staunch defenders of equality for all people under the law including the LGBT community; therefore be it

Resolved, that the Stonewall Democrats of Dallas County join the chorus of voices from San Antonio, Rio Grande Valley, Houston, Austin and elsewhere in this great state of Texas to call for the resignation of Dan Ramos as Bexar County Democratic Party Chair.